For all the well-deserved accolades Judd Apatow’s comedies often receive for finding some heart behind the typical Hollywood shenanigans, they often have their fair share of jaw-dropping set pieces as well. Apatow’s upcoming comedy “This is Forty” apparently includes a gag that involves a man with fake teeth, so it only makes sense that he called up a hockey player to fill that role. It’s somewhat heartening that he turned to well-liked Philadelphia Flyers grinder Ian Laperriere for the role after receiving that recommendation from a Flyers official, according to Dan Gross.

Laperriere enlisted the help of Scott Hartnell, Matt Carle and James van Riemsdyk to help him portray a group of hockey players who end up dancing and … playing with his false teeth, for some reason. (We will now pause so that you can make your own “Dry Island” jokes.)

Lappy admitted to Gross that he’s the worst dancer of the four, with Carle apparently coming in second place while Hartnell and JVR apparently “had some moves.”

“I made a fool of myself, but it was fun,” Lappy told us yesterday. “I like to try different things.”

In an odd note, Lappy apparently put off dental work because of the role in the movie, which is slated to open in December 2012 and stars Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann and Megan Fox. If the cameo is as good at it sounds, it might be up there with other athletes’ appearances in comedies, from Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s piloting in “Airplane” to Brett Favre’s stitled performance in “There’s Something about Mary” and Dan Marino’s bizarre turn in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.”

On a more hockey-related note, Laperriere said that although he’s feeling “great” physically, he’s still dealing with blurred vision and isn’t sure that he’ll return to the ice. To be honest, it might be for the best if he hangs up his skates – especially if his fling with Hollywood goes especially well.

(H/T to Puck Daddy, which has a must-see Photoshop of Laperriere on the “Knocked Up” movie poster.)